Protector for pies or other commodities



Oct. 23, 1934. w J. DoNovAN Er AL PROTECTOR FOR PIES OR OTHER COMMODITIES Filed Deo. 2, 1935 Patented Oei. 423, 1934,

PROTECTOR FOR PIES OR OTHER COMMODITIES William John- Donovan and Charles Edward Donovan, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Rossum Application neeember z, 193s, sei-iai No. 700,724

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved package for protecting pies and other commodities, the object being to provide a construction which will receive a desired commodity and which thereafter may be stacked without injury to the commodity.

Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide a package for protecting and supporting a pie, the structure being such that the pie is sup- 10 ported against being engaged by anything at the top or bottom.`

Another object of the invention is to provide a support and protection for pies and other commodities wherein the peor other commodity is suspended so that it will not touch anything at the top or bottom and at the same time will be completely enclosed so asto be protected against foreign matter.

A still further object of the invention, more a0 specifically, ,is to provide a package so formed as to support in a suspended manner a pie or other commodity, and at the same time present means whereby a number of packages may be stacked one on the other without any pressure on the pie or other commodity. Y

An additional object of the present' invention is to provide a package having means whereby cellophane or other transparent material may be stretched across and above the commodity being protected without touching the commodity.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a top plan view of ay package disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being broken away at one part to illustrate certain detailed features, the section forming the broken partV being taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through a package disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being shown empty;

Figure 3 is a sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 3--3 l Figure 4 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view similar to one side of the showing in Figure 3, but illustrating a slightly modified construction;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing a slightly modified structure thereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the side walls of the package which are turned over at the upper end to form an edge 2, which may be of various shapes as, for instance, flanged or curled, and which in some instances acts as a platform. Intermediate the top and bottom of the wall 1 are arranged any de- `155 sired number of pressed out ears 3, said ears being preferably arranged in groups and at a desired point between the top and bottom of wall 1. Wall 1 is `tapered so that two or more of the packages may be nested, if desired, as shown in Figure 2 or may be stacked as shown in Figure 3.

When a pie, for instance, pie 4, is placed in a package the paper or fabric pie plate 5 is forced upwardly into substantially the position shown in Figure. The wall 1 is made of such'a diameter that the pie plate 5 can be forced upwardly only a certain distance 'and will then be brought to a stop by reason of the tapering of the wall and the diameter of the pie plate. The parts are so proportioned that the pie plate will be stopped at a point immediately above the respective tabs 3, which tabs are forced inwardly as shown in Figure 3 as soon-as the pie plate is in position. If the pie plate, with the pie therein, should drop down slightly by reason of being shaken, it will rest on the various tabs 3 and thereby be held suspended within the package. 4

A covering 6 of cellophane or some other desired material is used, the same, if desired, being' secured to the under surface of the edge 2, though if preferred it could be laid loosely in place. While cellophane or some other transparent material is preferable, it will be understood that an ordinary sheet of paper or other opaque or substantially opaque sheet could be used.

By reason of the construction set forth the various packages containing pies or other commodities may be readily stacked. As indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 the top package rests on the platform or ilange 2 of the next lower package, the flange engaging the loweredges of the respective tabs 3, while the upper edges engage to support the pieplate. In this Way a large number of the packages may be readily stacked without the use of the racks now in common use. Where a package is held by the hand, being supe ported on a counter, or in a stacked position, the commodity carried thereby Will be suspended and will be protected against injury from dirt, dust andthe like, or protected against being handled by anyone.

In order to provide the desired circulation of air wall l is formed with a number of small apertures 7. These are suilicient to allow a circulation of air without allowing any appreciable 2 to that illustrated by the numeral 5 in the drawing are old and well known and are made in several different sizes. However, each size is standard and, therefore, it is intended that the various packages shall be made of sizes to take care of the various pie plates now in common use on vthe market. Where a coffee ring or yother commodity is-placed in the package any desired supporting member may be used instead of the pie plate without departing from the spirit of the p invention.

When it is desired touse a package, one of the same is removed from the stack as shown in Figure 2. When removed the tabs 3 will not extend inwardly but will readily form part of the wall 1. The pie and pie plate will then be forced upwardly until the periphery of the plate presses against the wall 1. The flanges 3 are then forced i inwardly so that the parts will appear as shown in Figure 3, and the package and its commodity is thenready to be dispensed.

In the manufacture of pies and other commodities of a similar nature, it is customary in some manner to support these pies when they are displayed for sale. vIn many places they are placed on counters, while in other instances racks are provided which are more or less expensive. By reason of the construction shown a large number of the packages may be stacked and may at all times be ready for sale. When anyone wishes to buy a pie or the commodity that is held by the package, the pie or other commodity together with the package is sold to the purchaser forthe pricev of the pie itself. The purchaser will then have, automatically, a protected pie which really needs no wrapping. When removing the pie the package may be broken open or, if preferred, the tabs 3 may be swung outwardly until they form part of the wall l from which they have been pressed. The package may then be shaken a little and the pie will automatically fall downwardly and out of the package.

Under some circumstances a slightly modified structure may be desired, namely, the structure shown in Figure 4. In this form of the invention a stiffening bead 8 is provided which is pressed inwardly and really forms part of wall 1. This bead acts in the double capacity of a stiffening and reinforcing wall and also as a shelf over which the edge of the pie plate snaps, whereby the pie plate is held against accidental downward movement. In this form of the invention the inwardly extending bead 8 acts to take the place of the supporting tabs 3. In order to cause this form of package to be capable of being stacked a number of tabs 9 are pressed inwardly from the lower edge of the wall. 'I'he stacking operation is the same as shown in Figure 3, except that the upper package will have its tabs 9 resting on l the edge 2 of the lower package'.

In Figure 5 the same general idea is found as in the preferred form, but the bead 10 is turned outwardly instead of inwardly as in Figure 4. This allows the edge of the pie plate 5 to fit into the groove l1. It will be understood that the angle of the annular wall may be varied as desired, and also that the groove 11 may be made of any desired shape and size. When this form of the invention is used ther tabs 9 may also be used, or they may be eliminated. In certain sections of the market small pies are sold and it is desirable that these should be protected. Where this is the case they are arranged as shown in Figure 5, butthe tabs 9 are eliminated.l When the pie plate 5 with a pie thereon is to be arranged in the device, the pie plate'is merely pushed upwardly until it snaps into the groove 3 where it is held by the resiliency of the respective parts.

When it is desired to remove the pie plate with a pie thereon the wall is broken and pulled away so that the pie plate will drop down and rest in the hand. In this form and also in all of the forms of the invention the pie or other commodity is suspended and is fully protected by the covering structure so that it is really vprotected against being injured by crushing or the like and also protected against dirt, dust and the like. It will therefore be noted thatthe device is not only a proper mechanical support but one which is a sanitary protecting covering.

As clearly shown in Figure 3 it will be observed that the wall 1 extends below the tabs 3 so as to overlap the next adjacent package. The stacking of the packages in this way with the walls of an upper package dropping over the next package acts to prevent lateral movement in'respect to the respective packages, and thus holds them properly stacked and partly nested.

We claim:

l. A package comprising an annular wall tapering from top to bottom, an inwardly extending ilange carried by said wall at the upper part, a protecting sheet carried by said flange, and a plurality of pie-supporting members pressed from said wall intermediatethe height thereof.

2.' A package for pies and other commodities comprising an annular wall tapering from top to bottom, an inwardly extending edge at the top, and a plurality of inwardly pressed members forming supporting tabs having upper and lower edges, said upper edges being positioned Yto receive and support a plate within" said wall while saidlower edges are positioned to rest on top of the inwardly extending edge of the next package whereby a plurality of packages may be nested.

3. A package comprising-an upstanding wall having an inturned edge and a plurality of integral tabs pressed therefrom and positioned to be swung inwardly for engaging and supporting a plate when the package is in use, said tabs being positioned to engage the ange of another package arranged therebelowl whereby one package may be supported by another.

4. A package for supporting and protecting a pie or other commodity, including an enclosing slightly cone-shaped wall, means forming a window at the top of said wall, and a plurality of inwardly projecting members intermediate the top and bottom of said wall for supporting said commodity, and acting to provide supporting legs adapted to rest on the top edge of a similar shaped device whereby a plurality of packages maybe stacked.

5. A package of the character described comprising a body formed integral throughout and provided with an in-turned edge at the top, arwticle supporting means intermediate the top and bottom, and a plurality of Ventilating apertures nearl the top.

6. A package of the character described comprising a body formed with an annular wall having intermediate its height an integral inwardly extending member positioned to act as a support for the edge of an article and a plurality of tabs at the lower part of said wall extending inwardly for supporting the packages when stacked.

WILLIAM JOHN DONOVAN. CHARLES EDWARD DONOVAN. 

